Explain Why Did We Break Away From Great Britain

Why did we break away from Great Britain? We wanted our independents, so don’t you think by controlling the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico we are acting like ”Great Britain”? Going into these country’s and trying to force your government ideas, putting your army in foreign land, and controlling there economics sound un-American to me. The government should consider what is at stake if we enter these foreign territories. If we try to imply our ways government ideas what would happen? That brings me to my first point; a self-governing country (the US) should not be able to submit our ideas or beliefs without consent of the countries. A self-governing state cannot accept sovereignty over the unwilling people. Like what Abraham Lincoln said